Medical-Legal Partnerships

Last week we learned of a new study which found that HIV-positive people on Medicaid have a significantly harder time adhering to their medication therapy.

LSNYC has worked with HIV-positive clients for decades and we know the many barriers faced by individuals eligible for Medicaid, i.e., people with no or low-incomes. Unstable and unhealthy living arrangements, lack of access to mental health treatment, unreliable and insufficient income from employment or public benefits, discrimination in employment, housing, government agencies and everywhere else, and overwhelming medical and consumer debt all contribute to the struggle to remain in care and stay well.

LSNYC partnered with the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center six years ago with the goal of stabilizing the lives of their HIV-positive patients. Since the inception of the project, we’ve seen the incredible health benefits that result from medical professionals, social workers and lawyers working together to address all the medical, social and legal needs of HIV-positive New Yorkers. Partnerships like this allow us to provide critical direct services to individuals while we fight to change the systems that prevent vulnerable populations from maintaining good health and well-being.

Our Medical-Legal Partnership offers weekly scheduled onsite legal intake appointments at Callen Lorde’s 17th street location (230 West 17th St) every Wednesday evening from 5pm-8pm. There is also the option of walking in for a stand-by intake appointment at 5pm on Wednesdays to be seen at the first opportunity. We can guarantee two walk-ins will be fit into the schedule on a first come first serve basis; please be prepared for possible wait times. Please arrive as close to 5pm as possible to secure a spot for the evening.

—Dan Pepitone, Staff Attorney, Manhattan Legal Services